ONE SALT SEA open thread!

[seanan_mcguire]

To celebrate the release of One Salt Sea, here. Have an open thread to discuss the book.

THERE WILL BE SPOILERS.

Seriously. If anyone comments here at all, THERE WILL BE SPOILERS. So please don't read and then yell at me because you encountered spoilers. You were warned.

You can also start a book discussion at my website forums, with less need to be concerned that I will see everything you say! In case you wanted, you know, discussion free of authorial influence.

Have fun!

Comments

[katrina toice (from livejournal.com)]

Awesome! Can't wait for the next one! It was exciting to see all the underwater fae, would love to meet the underwater king and his court, please!? And Lacey and Cagney are spies!

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

It's highly unlikely; I'd have to stretch to come up with multiple excuses for underwater books. Sadly.

[brianh]

Amazon delayed my book by two days. :( So I must trawl here for bits and pieces of info as I wait to DEVOUR. (I not only don't mind spoilers, I actively seek them out).

[wendyzski.livejournal.com]

Darth Vader is Quentin's father....

[wendyzski.livejournal.com]

Sigh. You really do subscribe to the Joss Whedon school of character development. Still, I pretty much knew it was coming the moment he said that he'd asked to stay.

[bigherman.livejournal.com]

Ah, Joss's Doomed Lover technique. I found Connor kind of annoying (the whole trying-to-have-an-affair thing before he got divorced was pretty lame-o and insulting to Tobe, in my opinion, and he never got a chance to make up for that lameness, so I was glad he got kicked off the cast).

[bigherman.livejournal.com]

What do you (collective, not Seanan) think about the "bill" the Luideag calls due at the end? People have to be "picked"?

And OMG Selkies' skins are from Roane OMG I DON'T EVEN creeeeeepy.

[cupcakery.livejournal.com]

I was thinking that there might be no more selkies soon, because she was taking the skins back for something.

[vixyish.livejournal.com]

I started an open thread over at the forums for anyone who feels like wandering over there. :)

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

Yay!

[cupcakery.livejournal.com]

Cephalopod faeries~ and whale ones!

And Raj and Quentin hanging out together. They are my favourites, I think.

[vixyish.livejournal.com]

I know right! <3 <3 <3 I attempted to draw Anceline as soon as I read the book the first time. (I was at a con at the time. Googling for reference images of orca on my phone was kind of hilarious.)

[aliciaaudrey.livejournal.com]

I have an uncontrollable urge to run up to Raj, ruffle his hair, and squee over him.

That is all.

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

Don't we all?

[smoooom.livejournal.com]

All I can say is I'm glad I wasn't on the transit when I read it. You made me cry. A number of times. I have to let the book digest before I post my review on Chapters. Oh there is another thing I need to say. It was awesome, twists and turns, life changing choices, so much brilliant and amazing stuff.

[smoooom.livejournal.com]

Oh and I have a question, since Toby is no longer Countess is Quentin still her Squire?

[tereshkova2001.livejournal.com]

I'll miss Connor; I didn't like the way he tried to cheat on his wife (even given her insanity, it would have caused a diplomatic incident), but he was a good guy.

Quentin is so totally the prince of North America. No questions there. I'm a little surprised Toby hasn't picked up on it, but she is awfully oblivious to authorial breadcrumbs.
Toby ought to officially squire Raj, if the Court of Cats does that kind of thing.

Thank you for yet another awesome book!

[wendyzski.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad that I'm not the only one who thinks they figured that out 2 books ago....

The fact that he responded when Toby addressed something to Raj as "When you're King...." clinched it for me.

He'll make an awesome King

[brightlotusmoon.livejournal.com]

Sooo... Rayseline. I... well, I think I hate her. She terrifies me. She's creepy and unrelenting and truly insane. I kind of wish her dead, or at least Somewhere Else Forever.

What are your thoughts on Raysel, Seanan?

Also, I think I'm in love with both May and Jazz.

[wendyzski.livejournal.com]

I was glad, in a very sad way, to see her rooms and that line "Sometimes I miss the dark" made me cry.

Not enough to forgive her, by any means. But just to know how deeply broken she really is, and how she'll never be fixed.

[avhn.livejournal.com]

I think that Luideag is going to have Toby shift the Selkie's blood so they're Roane, which would mean that anyone without a skin is stuck being human.

Also, I went through and re-read all the old books and think I figured a bunch of stuff out. One of the more far-fetched guesses is that Simon is Toby's dad. I think this because Oleander talks about Amandine having taken something from Simon, and that that made him Oleander's to break - what she took could have been herself and Toby. And then she was changing Toby's blood to hide/protect her.

I think that at some point in the future we're going to have to deal with the missing Kings and Queens (which is hinted at strongly... especially with Toby saying that someone's going to have to find them, but she wasn't that crazy.) I also think that Toby is going to have to find her mom and fix whatever is making her crazy, or at least find out about it.

[catsittingstill.livejournal.com]

Wouldn't Toby have to do this one Selkie at a time? And doesn't it take an awful lot out of her, even if the Luideag were to donate some of the power involved? (Does even the Luideag even have that much to donate?)

I don't think Toby could be Fae on both sides, or there would have been no human in her blood for Amandine to shift the balance of her blood to.

*squee* and that is pretty much all this is...

[georgiamagnolia.livejournal.com]

OMG!!! Muir Woods! I was so excited when I read about the little rock remembering the smell of redwoods and bay and OMG YAY! I wanted them to go RIGHT THEN. My first hand knowledge of California geography is mostly centered on North Cali and Muir Woods and Stinson Beach in particular, so I was pretty thrilled that I could picture so clearly where they were. Then of course, things happened. So now what happens with the hand of twigs or whatever it is called? Does Toby give it back to the Queen? Does the Luidaeg confiscate it? Once a promise is made on it how is it broken? I am very worried about these things. And I have loved Tybalt always, so while I am sad that Conner has gone away forever, I really was always rooting for Tybalt. I can't even list how many times this book made me cry, but the best was when the SeaFae came for their children, good crying to make up for the sad crying when Conner passed and Gilly became all human and broke her mother's heart and all the other ways that I cried sadly over this book.

Well done, you!

Re: *squee* and that is pretty much all this is...

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

Hee yay.

And the Luidaeg has the Hand of Bones. That promise can't be fulfilled.

[gmrmoro.livejournal.com]

I love the book... but you cheated on your own rules with Gillian.. she choose.. Don't get me wrong, I have been hoping for Gillian to show up for real since book one, and I would have been devastated if you had killed her (I had an awful time forgiving you for Dare in book one, and let's not start on feed :P ), but wasn't the choice all about if they choose human, they are killed on the spot, because humans died anyway?
I cannot wait for Ashes of Honor to come out.. We need to invent a time machine... :)
On another note, I bought another copy to set you on your way for the new york time bestseller list... and I hope to see you again next year at comic con :)

[catsittingstill.livejournal.com]

I think the issue is that the Changelings who choose human are killed on the spot because there's no way to take the Fae out of their blood. A blood-shifter like Toby may be a game-changer in that regard.

(I can't see poor Toby being able to blood-shift every Changeling who chooses human, though I can see her wanting to try...)

[catsittingstill.livejournal.com]

Maybe I should have linked to my "review" song here instead.

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

Thank you again.

[gmrmoro.livejournal.com]

Question for Seanan, how old does Toby look? I picture her as 30 something, but since she is now quasi immortal, don't most faeries get stuck as late teens? (of course, unless they shape shift...) just wondering aloud :)

[droewyn.livejournal.com]

I was wondering the same thing, especially as pertaining to how her human disguise looks. Neither Gilly nor her father acted as though she wasn't as old as she's supposed to be in human terms.

[mariadkins.livejournal.com]

i was on the bus when i got to "anyone who saw a woman riding a screaming mermaid in a wheelchair down Leavenworth at a quarter to five in the morning would just think they'd had too much to drink". i guffawed. absolutely guffawed. of course people looked, but i just waved my book around in the air, still laughing, tears rolling down my face. that whole scene was just ... awesome.

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

Yay!

[wendyzski.livejournal.com]

Since we've got a lot of smart people on here (and ones who read as fast as I do, apparently)...

How did Luna have access to Amandine's Tower to get that spidersilk dress for Toby? The smart tower that only lets people in with permission?

That bothered me for quite a while. I'm going to keep an eye out when I go back for the full-series reread in a bit, but what are the prevailing theories on this particular puzzle?

[vixyish.livejournal.com]

I don't know, but I just sat here for a while being mesmerized by your icon. :)

Fuzzyyyyyy...

[bakazaru7.livejournal.com]

Connor could be a dick, but for some reason he was one of my favourite characters. I was more than a bit upset that he'd been offed, but I kinda figured he wouldn't last the entire series. Otherwise, I think technically speaking this is the best book yet. Sooo glad there was more of the Cait Sidhe than I assumed there would be. Raj is rapidly becoming my favourite, especially now that Connor is gone so the position is open. He's an adorable little ginger kitty and absolutely makes my day (and I may or may not crack!ship him with Quentin...). Raysel breaks my heart into itty bitty pieces and I pity her way too much. Am now in the process of my read through because in my effort to finish the book in one go I stayed up ridiculously late before having to go to work early. Hopefully I'll have better insights then

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

Yay! :)

I'm glad you liked it.

[tallisdawn.livejournal.com]

Great book as always, Seanan! I wish we didn't have to wait a year for the next one though. Sad about what happened to Connor. It was unexpected. I'm curious if you can answer something. Are we ever going to find out what happened to Oberon, Titania and Maeve?

[yoneit.livejournal.com]

I'm hoping we do find out what happens to Oberon, Titania and Maeve too! I'm also very uneasy about the title of the next book, Ashes of Honor. That's a very unsettling title which implies that Toby will be devastated emotionally and ethically. Waiting until September 2012, groan....

[drakos-inferno.livejournal.com]

I think i'm most disappointed by the fact that Toby gave up Goldengreen. i get that it makes a certain amount of sense, but i really was hoping it would be something like a good version of Home.

The last scene though, was really beautifully written. I think its the best out of the books. I intensely dislike how few of the standing questions got answered before we slopped on a bunch more, but it was still really human.

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

I was sad, too, but having her manage the place would have been a nightmare long-term. This way, Marcia and Dean can run it, and it will be something like a good version of Home.

Most of the "new" questions are extensions of questions that have been present all along.

[stormerider]

Just picked it up today :) Couldn't walk into BN to get the case for my Nook Color without picking up One Salt Sea :) Was annoyed that they didn't have it on display, but *le sigh*

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

It gets a little more prominent with every volume!

[markbernstein.livejournal.com]

Dearest Seanan,

Once again, you've earned my tears. Of all the things Toby has gone through, this loss was the worst.

I, for one, have liked Connor from the beginning. Thank you for giving him a month of happiness, and thank you for granting him a heroic death.

Also, thank you for an entire book in which Toby is competent, smart, and heroic throughout, and never misses an obvious clue.

I liked Deadline a lot. One Salt Sea is your best book of 2011. I hope to write a review soon, though life is a little insane at the moment.

[markbernstein.livejournal.com]

And now that it's morning, and not about-to-fall-over time, I'll amend the above to "Of all the things *I've watched* Toby go through . . ." The fish transformation, and the resulting loss of Cliff and Gillian, was worse. But the latter always felt like something I was told about second hand. I never knew Cliff and Gillian well enough to have the same emotional investment I had in her relationship with Connor.

When I wrote the original, the strongest thought in my mind was that this was worse than what she experienced in Blind Michael's lands.

[bookwyrm172006.livejournal.com]

I made them dig it out of the back for me yesterday.

And now I'm mad at you again! >:D

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

Yay!

[mariadkins.livejournal.com]

Did the rocks say they cried when the towers fell?

I'm sitting here bawling.

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

?

[ravenclawed.livejournal.com]

Got the ebook Monday evening, finished it Tuesday afternoon.

Wow, is there a lot I want to bring up.

First, I was tickled pink when the Luidaeg was eating Phish Food. My favorite Ben & Jerry's flavor ever! Speaking of the Luidaeg, I just assume she already dealt with whichever sister betrayed her children. Oh, and does her calling herself Annie around the Selkies have anything to do with her sister, Gentle Annie? I also think the Luidaeg is going to have Toby push the Selkies' blood into being Roane. While I'm still on the subject of the Roane, there's one question I've been wanting to ask since An Artificial Night -- did the little Roane boy make it home or is he still with Acacia?

I'm sorry Toby lost Connor. I'm Team Tybalt all the way, but I was hoping Connor being out of the picture would be more him falling in love with another Selkie.

It's too bad we don't get to see Dugan's punishment. I've hated him since Late Eclipses and I wanted to see his fall from grace.

May was the Dare-haunt! She'd said she would wear Toby's face proudly, now she is.

I'm sure there's more I wanted to say, but I need to read the book again.

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

He's still with Acacia, sadly. Some of them were too broken to ever go home.